Good morning…
Last week, she shared the tumultuous story of her own grief.
“I think I shared this after my Dad passed away last year,” she wrote. “It was two days after Dad had passed, and I was managing very difficult family dynamics with my siblings and a painful dementia diagnosis for my mom. I was exhausted and speechless. I genuinely was feeling chest pains, and my friend texted to check on me. I responded honestly – ‘Not good’. She called immediately – I was driving, so she calmly asked me to pull over. And then she began reading Scripture to me – this daily devotional where you match the day of the month and read across.”
“Sue, it was one of the most powerful and sacred moments being ‘fed’ Scripture so gently by a dear friend who herself is all too well acquainted with grief,” she explained. “It was instant and true balm for my soul, and I know it looks like a lot to read each day, but it is provision, and I pray this same comfort for Joan and Graham, the kids and Elizabeth‘s grieving family and friends. Truly an anchor in the storm. I think of that quote from your podcast with your friend, the hospice nurse – ‘God builds an ark in the storm for those who love Him.’ Xo.”
Whether it is death, dementia, or painful division, we have a lot to grieve. Might feeding off God’s Word each day offer us a calming balm?
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68, ESV).
…Sue…
P.S. My friend shared with me the one page resource from which her friend tenderly read over the phone. We are guided to read one Proverb and five Psalms each day of the month. She explained: “So for whatever the day of the month, you find the matching Proverb and start there and move onto the five Psalms.” For example, today is the 6th, so we would read Proverbs 6 and continue across the page, reading Psalm 6, Psalm 36, Psalm 66, Psalm 96, Psalm 126 (the pattern adds 30 each time).
I also told her about another resource. I enjoy listening to Scripture read on my phone with an app called “HerBible.com”. With all of the chapters in the Bible read by the voices of different women throughout the world, I like to read along and listen for the juiciest words to grab my attention. I often go back to chew on those morsels of wisdom.
Considering these two resources or any other form of inspiration, might we nibble on whatever verses the Spirit leads us to digest each day?
